The Arizona sentinel., 1887-07-30
THE VENERABLE KAISER.

ance at Corner Window or Ills Pal-
 ace.
 Does the Kaiser really come to the
 corner window every noon, and stand
 there just as you see him in the photo
 grapbs?" When a stranger has put this antiquated question to the porter of his hotel or the mistress of his pen
 sion, or the first Berliner whose ac- quaintance he makes, and has received polite and wearied Certainly" for his answer, he is conscious of a sud- uen influx of faith in the words of the
 guide-books and of the people who may have wished to sell him the famous photograph in question. Per haps now he purchases the photograph in anticipation, as a sovenir of the sight he hopes for, and at any rate he will not be likely to miss the first opportunity of joining the crowd that waits in front of the palace every noon as the guard is changed and the new detachment of soldiers goes marching by, for a glimpse of the Kaiser. He may possi- ply consider it one of the events of his life to see the gray monarch and join in the simple act of homage. To the student, however, who frequents the university opposite the palace there are, of course, many students
 who dc nothing of the kind-the cere- mony at the corner window takes on at least a familiar aspect, although, like the experience of hearing Momm- sen or, Curtus or Herman Grimm every morning. it can never, however often epeated, prove quite common place.
 The crowd begins to gather long be- fore the hour, and it is curious to watch its growth. Some one usually sets the example by stopping in his saunter and leaning up against the railing that surrounds the gigantic bronze statue of the great Frederick on horseback. which is in the middle of Unter den Linden, exactly in front of the unpre- tending palace, and which is still known by the name so familiar to Berlin for a hundred years. "Der Ate FTitz." Just who the first person is to lean up against the railing, and look patiently toward the corner window, varies much from day to day. It may be a laborer out of work, or DienSt- mann waiting to be employed, or B peasant from the Gruenwald, or an eye-servant on her way home from a late marketing. or small boz, or a foreigner determined to be at the place on time; but the frst-comers are generally the sort of people who lean naturally against fence or its equivalent, the world over. As soon as there is a nucleus additions come rapidly. Passers-by glance at their watches, find that business is not so pressing, and conclude to wait; fathers and mothers bring their long-suffering babies to see the Kaiser, who can not come to the window many years more, perhaps not many days; old men stop to see a man older than any of them; young women, full of patriotic senti- ment, push for good places, and by there is only half an hour to wait it becomes necessary for policemen to take languid interest They keep the crowd back, in a solid mass up and down the middle of the street, leaving in front of the people ample room for carriages and for the soldiers who are coming. It is silent patient, heavy-witted crowd, rather slow to laugh, though not at all averse to it. and very slow to be angry. The weather seems to have almost no effect upon the size of the throng. If it rains, the people looked de- pressed, but it does not seem to occur to them to go home; if it is sunshiny, there is more animation, and occasion ally, though not often, some one dares to address a humorous remark to po- iceman. As noon approaches there are hundreds present, and when at length the march music is heard com ing up the street, all who are within running distance hasten up, students condescend to walk over from the uni versity, and belated women come crowding into the lines. getting their handerchiefs ready to wave. The drum-beats grow nearer Here comes the guard, marching to some favorite air of the Kaiser's, solid fellows from the provinces, not stepping brilliantly, though well together. and with stout hearts for the fatherland, let us hope, poor boys. And just as the fore most files reach the palace win. dows on the corner toward the opera-house and the armory. there, yes, there is the Kaiser, saluting as they pass. "Here he is. ," Here he is," is cried, and the crowd wave their hats and handkerchiefs and stout: "Hurra! Oh, Hurra!' The grave old man be. hind the window smiles in response and salutes again and again. and then, with the slow unsteadiness of age, turns away, and all is over.
 You feel better in some way, repub- | lican though you are and living in a | leveling tune, that you have taken off | your hat with the rest; for the Kaiser | has the love of most of his subjects and | the respect of all; he has been, per haps, the most fortunate European ruler of the century, though not with out long waiting and deferred hopes; he has been a hard worker, plain man in plain house, whose life has never been an easy one and whose last days are not altogether sweet-and he is ninety years old Chicago Times.